Car accidents in Connecticut: what to do and who pays

At the scene and reporting a crash in Connecticut

Always stop and help anyone who is hurt. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime in every state.

When to call the police

Stop at once and help anyone hurt. Give your name, address, driver's license number and registration number to anyone hurt, to the owner of damaged property, or to a police officer or witness. If you can't do that (for example, the owner of a parked car isn't there), report the crash right away to a police officer, constable, state police officer or the nearest police station, with the place and circumstances and your details. On a limited-access highway, if only property is damaged and the car can be moved safely, move it off the travel lanes.

Report to the state

Connecticut no longer requires drivers to file their own crash report with the DMV (former § 14-108 is repealed).

Law

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-224(a), (b), (d); § 14-108 (repealed)

Official text

Read the official text

First 24 hours after a crash in Connecticut

Tick the boxes as you go, or print the list and keep it in your glove box.

Insurance system in Connecticut

Connecticut is a fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.

System

Fault (tort)

PIP, benefits and when you can sue

No PIP is required. Connecticut has no no-fault law: you claim against the at-fault driver's liability insurance (or use your own collision coverage). The state requires liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and says collision and comprehensive are optional unless a lender requires them.

Law

Connecticut Insurance Department, Auto Insurance FAQ

Official text

Read the official text

Compare every state in the no-fault states table.

Who pays: comparative fault in Connecticut

Rule

Modified (51% bar)

What it means

In Connecticut, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were more than 50% at fault (51% or more).

Law

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h(b): your negligence doesn't bar recovery if it was not greater than the combined negligence of the people you are claiming against; your money is reduced by your share (so at 50% you still recover half; at 51% nothing).

Compare every state's rule in the comparative negligence table.

Who pays in Connecticut: fault and payout explainer

If both drivers share the blame, your state's comparative-fault rule decides whether you can recover and how much. Enter your share of the fault and your total damages to see what the rule means. This is an illustration, not a prediction: insurers, juries and judges decide the percentages.

Minimum insurance in Connecticut

Liability minimum

25/50/25 (or $50,000 single limit)

Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)

Required. Your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage must equal your bodily injury liability limits unless you ask in writing (on a signed informed-consent form) for less, and never less than 25/50. Insurers must also offer UM/UIM at twice your liability limits (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-336).

Official text

Read the official text

Numbers like 25/50/25 mean $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage. Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.

Getting the police report in Connecticut

Most State Police crash reports are online at Docview.us.com, usually within 10 business days. You can also mail form DPS-96-C 'Request for Copy of Report' with the $16 search fee (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-10b, non-refundable) to DESPP, Division of State Police, Reports and Records, 1111 Country Club Road, Middletown, CT 06457 (U.S. mail only; questions: 860-685-8250). For a crash handled by a town police department, ask that department.

You can also ask by mail with our free police report request letter.

Filing a claim and insurer deadlines in Connecticut

How fast insurers must act

State law bans insurers, as a general business practice, from failing to acknowledge and act with reasonable promptness on claims, failing to affirm or deny coverage within a reasonable time after proof of loss, and not trying in good faith to settle promptly when liability is reasonably clear (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-816(6)). The statute sets no fixed number of days.

Put your claim in writing. Our free insurance claim letter lists your damages and asks for a written answer.

If the other driver has no insurance in Connecticut

Your own required uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries if an uninsured or underinsured driver hurts you. An owner who drives or lets someone drive without required insurance can be fined $100 to $1,000, and the DMV suspends the owner's registration and license for 1 month (6 months for a repeat) (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-213b). For a dispute with an insurer over car damage when fault and coverage are not in dispute, see the state Auto Arbitration Program.

Read what to do if you are hit by an uninsured driver.

Deadlines to sue in Connecticut

Property damage (your car)

2 years

Injury

2 years

Notes, including claims against a government

To claim money from the State of Connecticut, you usually must file with the Office of the Claims Commissioner within 1 year after the claim accrues (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4-148).

Law

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 (2 years from when the injury or damage is first sustained or discovered, and never more than 3 years after the act)

The deadline is the statute of limitations. Insurance claims and talks with an adjuster don't stop it. Compare every state in the deadlines table.

Deadline to sue in Connecticut

Every state limits how long you have to file a lawsuit after a car crash. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of claim and the date of the crash to see the usual deadline and the last day to file. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Small claims for property damage in Connecticut

Small claims limit

$5,000 plus interest and costs.

Connecticut small claims guide on Small Claims Map

Small claims court can be a way to recover the cost of repairs from the driver who caused the crash. Read how to use small claims for car damage.

Insurance complaints in Connecticut

If an insurer delays, underpays or denies a claim without a good reason, you can file a complaint with the state insurance regulator:

• Connecticut Insurance Department, Consumer Affairs Division · (800) 203-3447 or (860) 297-3900

Free help in Connecticut

• Connecticut Insurance Department, Consumer Affairs · (800) 203-3447
• CID Auto Arbitration Program (guide) · (800) 203-3447
• DESPP State Police Reports and Records FAQ · (860) 685-8250

Good to know in Connecticut

• State Auto Arbitration Program: if you made a damage claim against an at-fault driver's insurer and fault and coverage are not disputed, you can arbitrate repair costs, the car's value, loss of use, rental and storage. You must first file a complaint with the Insurance Department; each side pays a $20 fee (CID Auto Arbitration guide).
• You have the right to take your car anywhere to be repaired (Connecticut Insurance Department).

Free letters

Questions about car accidents in Connecticut

Other states